Links

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Check out Katy Eeten and Blast From Her Past

Katy Eeten is the wife of
a youth pastor and mother of two school-age boys. She works full time in the
business world, but her true passion is writing. Contemporary Christian
Romance Blast From Her Past, published by Anaiah Press, is her
first published book. Her novella Christmas
in Meadow Creek is due to release later this month, and has another
Christian romance coming out next spring. When she’s not working or writing,
she can be found taking walks, baking goodies, dining out, playing the piano,
or spending time with her family.

Character Interview

Beverley:What’s
your name?

Sydney: Sydney
Hampson

Beverley:Where did you grow up?

Sydney: Apricot
Grove—a suburb of Bismarck, ND

Beverley:During what time period does your story take place?

Sydney: The
present, with several flashbacks to high school about fourteen years ago.

Beverley:What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up
with a story about you?

Sydney: I
grew up loving God and my small but tightknit group of friends. We weren’t very
popular, but we loved life. Then, when my dad left, my mom died, and my fiancé
cheated on me with my best friend, I became a different person. Very closed
off. I focused all my attention on my career and left my faith in the past—after
all, God was obviously not on my side anymore. And to add insult to injury, a
former high school bully, Grant Williams, got hired by my company.Beverley:What’s your goal in this story?

Sydney: My
goal is to not let Grant get past the walls I’ve built up. I just want to succeed
in my career and continue my pursuit of emotional isolation. I don’t need to
let anyone in to be happy.Beverley:What conflicts are you facing?

Sydney: Realizing
just how lost I really am without God or godly relationships in my life. And People.
People are always my conflict. As much as I don’t want to admit it, Grant’s
changed since high school. He has this contagious enthusiasm, innocence, joy.
It’s like he took on the faith from my teenage years while I somehow grew cold
and bitter. And it doesn’t help that my co-worker Wendy has it in for me, trying
to sabotage my every move.

Beverley:Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Sydney: Yes—avoid
them both at all costs. The thing is, Grant is relentless. And my boss is
sending us on a business trip in the company car together. During a snowstorm. Kind
of hard to avoid someone when you’re trapped together! Hard not to let a caring soul chip away at your tough exterior…Beverley:Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Sydney: I
have a wonderful younger sister, Kate. She’s happily married with two little
kids—everything I ever wanted—and gives great advice. I’m also a huge fan of
chocolate chip cookies, a fact Grant uses to his advantage.

Blurb
for Blast From Her Past:

After a disastrous failed engagement,
Sydney Hampson is leaving her past—and her faith—behind to focus on her career
instead. However, following through with her new, albeit misguided, resolution
proves easier said than done whenformer classmate, and reformed bully, Grant
Williams signs on with her company, and they must work closely together.
Grant Williams gave up his teenage antics years ago, and now he’s lookingforward to a future that includes a strong relationship with God. When he
realizes he’ll be working with none other than Sydney Hampson—the girl he had a
secret crush on throughout high school—he couldn’t be more thrilled. Until hediscovers she’s not the same caring, compassionate woman she used to be.
When a business trip gone awry leaves the pair stranded in the middle of a
snowstorm, Grant sees his chance to make things right and put their pastwrongs
behind them…if only Sydney can get over her distrust of men. And with a
conniving co-worker working to destroy Sydney’s happiness, no matter the cost,
can she put her faith back in God and learn to trust in Grant before she loses
her chance at happiness?

Excerpt
for Blast From Her Past:

Sydney swallowed hard,
her face growing red. She had no idea how to respond to this news. Sure, it had
been fourteen years ago, but was Grant basically admitting that he’d had a
crush on her? “But what… I mean… why?”

It
was Grant’s turn to look embarrassed. “I really admired you.”

“You
did not,” Sydney said, brushing off his compliment. “You’re just saying that
now because we’re about to freeze to death.”

Grant laughed at her
exaggeration. “No, I’m serious. I really did. I thought you had it all
together, and I liked how you didn’t seem to care what people said about you.
You were really nice and really smart. What was there not to like?”

Sydney let his comments
soak in. “You liked me so much so that you never told me, huh?” she asked, her
tone a mixture of sarcasm and melancholy.

“I know, Sydney. I was a
coward back then. I cared more about my friends than about most things.
Definitely more than your feelings or even my own desires. … I know it’s
stupid, but, I told you, I’m a different person now.”

She glanced at him with
an almost regretful expression. “Yeah, so am I.”

“I bet you could still
channel your inner high school self,” Grant said teasingly.

His tone was all
congeniality, but Sydney could hear the truth there too. She stared off into
the distance, a twinge of sadness in her eyes. “Maybe.”